The hallmark of a felony offense in Kentucky is its more severe punishment when compared to a lesser charge such as a misdemeanor. Anyone who is convicted of a felony can anticipate a lengthy jail sentence as well as the possibility of crippling fines.
A high-stakes felony accusation requires a serious legal defense
How do plea bargains work in a criminal defense?
For a criminal case defendant, negotiating with the criminal justice system often starts at the moment of apprehension or arrest. It can be as simple as trying to persuade a police officer not to write you that speeding ticket, or if that fails trying to convince the traffic court judge that you shouldn't have to pay the ticket amount, or at least not all of it.
Legal counsel can help to keep you off the sex offender registry
It would be naive to think that some crimes or accusations are not viewed by society with added disdain. The difference in punishment and sentences levied out to convicted defendants is an easy method for measuring this difference, but the black mark of a conviction does not necessarily disappear after your fine is paid, probation is lifted or prison sentence is complete.
Domestic abuse getting more attention after Ray Rice incident
It is sadly the case that it often takes a tragedy or scandal to bring attention to a cause or light that has been affecting people for years without the wider media asking questions and demanding answers.
Suppression of evidence important in success of criminal defense
In any criminal trial an effective defense attorney will attempt to suppress any evidence that may have been obtained illegally by police due to an improperly issued search warrant. Often the suppression of this evidence will leave a gap in the prosecution’s chain of evidence needed for a conviction. Once the court rules to suppress the evidence, the criminal defense attorney may be in a better position for a plea negotiation to reduce, or even dismiss, a criminal charge against a defendant.